1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording material containing device for a recording material roll. More particularly, the present invention relates to a recording material containing device for a recording material roll, in which a leader of recording material can be positioned easily and exactly.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
JP-A 10-291350 and U.S. Pub. No. 2001/0052559 (corresponding to JP-A 2001-192152) disclose a recording material magazine for use with a printer, such as a thermal printer. The recording material magazine includes a magazine casing and a lid, and contains a recording material roll formed by winding recording material of paper. A supply roller is incorporated in the magazine casing. The supply roller is driven by a mechanism included in the printer, and unwinds and advances the recording material from the recording material roll into the printer. For the purpose of ensuring the advance of the recording material, the recording material magazine is provided with a pressing mechanism, a separator plate, a guide member and the like. The pressing mechanism presses a leader or outermost turn of the recording material toward the supply roller. The separator plate is disposed away from a contact position of the recording material roll for contact with the supply roller with reference to an unwinding direction, and abuts and separates an end of the leader from the recording material roll. The guide member guides the leader toward an exit opening of the recording material magazine.
However, the recording material magazine of the prior art requires positioning of the end of the leader of the recording material into a space under the supply roller in loading of the recording material magazine with the recording material roll. The end of the leader must be set in a very small range which lies between the contact position of the supply roller and the separator plate. Therefore, operation of setting the recording material roll requires much time, and involves considerable difficulty. Furthermore, the recording material roll must be rotated manually for the purpose of positioning the end of the leader of the recording material into a small range between the separating position and the supply roller. There occurs pollution of the recording material roll with dirt, fingerprints or the like in the course of handling.